Leaving
by tv freak 92
Summary: Stella catches Mac and Peyton together and decides to leave New York. Will Mac come to his senses and realises that it’s Stella he wants before it’s too late? Crossover with CSI: Vegas
1. Chapter 1

**Leaving**

**Summary: Stella catches Mac and Payton together and decides to leave New York. Will Mac come to his senses and realises that it's Stella he wants before it's too late? Crossover with CSI: Vegas**

**Chapter 1**

Stella walked through the lab. She was upset and angry she'd just seen Mac and Payton together. Kissing in the locker room. She walked to the break room when she got there she slammed the door shut. Danny, Lindsey and Hawkes looked up when they heard the door being slammed shut. "Hey Stel what's wrong?" Danny asked concerned

"He is what's wrong" she spat out

"Mac" the other occupants said together

"Yep"

"What he do now Stel?" Danny asked

"He don't trust me"

"He does Stel" Lindsey said

"If he did don't you think he would of mentioned dating Payton?"

"Yeah kind of" Hawkes said

"You know what I can't take it anymore. I'm leaving"

"Leaving as New York?" Lindsey asked

"Yeah"

"Were you going?" Danny asked

"I've got a friend in Vegas. I'll go and visit her"

"When you leaving?" Hawkes questioned

"Hopefully tonight. And I'll call you when I've landed you can tell the bastard then"

"Sure" they all replied

**Later that Day in Vegas**

Catherine's cell rang "Willows"

"_Cath it's me" Stella said_

"Stel. How you doing?"

"_I'm okay. I was thinking about coming to visit you"_

"Okay when you coming?"

"_My flight's tonight"_

"Call me when you're about to take off and I'll meet you at the airport"

"_Sure. See you soon Cath"_

"Yeah see you Stel"

Catherine hung up "What?" she asked the guys who were staring at her

"Nothing" Nick replied

Stella who had just got of the phone with Catherine in New York started packing her bags. An hour later she was on her way to JFK. About three hours later she landed in Vegas and Catherine as promised picked her up. In the car Catherine asked Stella "So what's up?"

"Just my boss being a bastard"

"The same one you've fallen in love with?"

"Yeah"

"What he do?"

"Just basically said that he doesn't trust me anymore"

"He said that"

"Not really but I could tell he was thinking it otherwise he would have told me about Payton"

"Payton?" Catherine questioned

"He's girlfriend for the past year"

"Oh. Well how long you in Vegas for"

"How ever long you'll have me" Stella said


	2. Chapter 2

**Leaving**

**Chapter 2 **

**Back in New York**

"Hawkes"

_"Hey Hawkes it's me"_

"Hey Stel. You in Vegas?"

_"Yeah"_

"Want me to tell Mac?"

_"That I've left yeah but not where I've gone"_

"Why?"

_"I just don't want him to come and see me that's all"_

"Fine. He'll find out sooner or later?"

_"I know but I'd rather it was later and not sooner"_

"Okay. I'll speak to you soon"

_"Yeah speak to you soon. Bye"_

"Bye" After Hawkes hung up he went to tell Danny and Lindsey what Stella has said

**In Vegas**

Stella hung up the phone and sighed.

"Hey you okay?" Cath asked

"Yeah I'm fine. Just waiting for the phone call from Mac"

"Do you think he'll phone?"

"Yeah if it's only to shout at me"

"I'm going to work. You wanna come"

"Yeah why not"

Stella followed Catherine out to the car. Catherine drove to the lab. When she got there Nick pulled up next to her.

"Hiya Cath"

"Hey Nick"

"Hi Nick Stokes" Nick said to Stella

"Hi Detective Stella Bonesera" She replied shaking his hand

"So what's a New York Detective doing in Vegas?" Nick asked walking along side Stella into the building

"Boss being a jerk. So I decide to visit Cath"

"Ah. Well I'll introduce you to the others if you want"

"Yeah why not"

Nick walked into the break room with Stella.

"Hey Nick whose to lady on you're side?" Warwick asked

"Rick this is Detective Stella Bonesera from New York and before you ask her boss was being a jerk and she's visiting Cath"

"Hi as Nick's said I'm Warwick Brown" Warwick said "You know Cath and Nick this is Greg Sanders, Sara Sidle…Hey Sara where's the boss man?"

"I don't know"

"Sure you don't Sar"

"I don't Nicky"

**Meanwhile in New York**

"…So she doesn't Mac to know where she is then?" Lindsey asked

"That's what she told me" Hawkes replied

"Damn he's going to be Mad when he finds out" Danny said

"When who finds out what Danny?" Mac asked from the door

"Umm…Hawkes will tell you"

"Hawkes"

"Stella. She's umm… left New York Mac"

Mac was shocked "Do you know where she went?" Mac asked

"She doesn't want us to tell you Mac" Danny said

"Please" Mac pleaded

Danny looked at Hawkes and Lindsey. Mac never pleaded with them and they'd never seen him cry until now as he was on the verge of tears. "She's in Vegas Mac" Danny said

"Thanks…I'll be in my office"

As soon as Mac had left the room Lindsey turned to the guys "Why the hell did you tell him?" She asked

"Lindsey we've never seen him plead or cry. He was on the verge of tears." Danny said

"Yeah and it proves that he cares about Stella more than he should because if we said you were leaving he wouldn't do what would he"

"No I guess not. She's still going to kill us"

When Mac got to his office he called Stella

_"Bonesera"_

"Stel it's me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Leaving**

**Chapter 3**

Stella walked outside when she realized it was Mac.

"What's up with her Cath?" Warrick asked

"I'll go and find out" she replied

Catherine walked out the room and followed Stella outside.

"What do you want Mac?" Stella asked

_"Stel…Why did you leave"_

"Because you kept her secret. It hurt Mac that you couldn't tell me about you two"

"_Me and Peyton?"_

"Yeah. It feels like you don't trust me"

_"I do trust you Stel…Really I do"_

"If you did you would have told me about you two"

_"Stel…Come back to New York please"_

"Why should I Mac?"

_"I need you Stel"_

**New York**

"I need you Stel" He replied

_"What…Mac I've got to go. I'll see you soon"_

"Yeah…See you soon" he replied sadly. He hung up the phone and mentally smacked himself. _I should have told her how I felt. If I did maybe she wouldn't have left. He thought. _

Peyton knocked on the office door seeing that he was in there.

"Hey Mac" she said, "What's wrong"

Mac looked up "Oh nothing" he replied

"We still on for tonight?" she asked

"No" came the quick reply

"Ok how about tomorrow night?"

"No"

"Mac what you saying"

He stood up and walked to the door "I've already lost one person I love. I don't want to lose another over a mistake. I'm sorry Peyton.I do love you but..."

"...Not as much as Stella and only as a friend. So this past year has been a lie?"

"Yeah and like I said I'm sorry."

"Fine" she said. She spun around and walked out the door. Mac walked out a few minutes later and went to see Danny.


	4. Chapter 4

**Leaving**

**Chapter 4**

"Cath I don't know what to do" Stella asked

"Well" she said leaning against the wall "If I we're you I'd stay here and make him come down here."

"Cath I'm not sure"

"Stel why don't me and you go and see my boss and see if there is any job offers and then you can move down here"

"Fine"

Stella followed Catherine back into the lab and down to Grissom's office. Catherine knocked on the office door.

"Yeah" Griss said

Catherine opened the door "Gil have we got any openings?"

"Yeah why?"

"I've got a friend from the crime lab in new York. She wants a change of scenery so I was thinking maybe she could work here"

"Okay. Let me talk to her first okay"

"Yeah. Stel this is my boss Gil Grissom. Griss this is Detective Stella Bonesera. She is a CSI Griss believe me"

"Thanks Cath. Detective can I ask what made you change?"

"My boss being a bastard."

"Is you're boss by any chance Detective Mac Taylor?"

"Yeah he is"

"Well…Detective…we can you start?"

"When ever you want"

"How about today?"

"Sure"

**New York**

"Danny what you got?" Mac asked

"The DNA on the victim matches the victims' sister"

"So they got into a fight that ended in Murder. Bring in the sister"

"You ok Mac?"

"Yeah Danny I'm fine"

"Stel's not coming back is she?"

Mac sighed "No she's not. I really messed up Danny…I love her and I messed up" he said with tears running down his cheeks.

Danny was shocked he'd never seen him cry maybe almost in tears but not completely. He put an arm around Mac's shoulders "I know you do Mac I know" he replied. Lindsey, Hawkes and Flack we're walking past the lab where they were. "Is Mac crying?" Hawkes asked

"Damn he is" Flack replied, "I guess Stella leaving really tore him apart"

"Did you expect anything else Flack?" Hawkes asked

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The guy's in love with her. Of course her leaving is going to tear him apart. He blames himself for her leaving."

Lindsey who had been silent for a while said, "She loves him too that's why she left."

The guy's turned to her shocked. "She told me she couldn't carry on working here knowing how she felt and that they couldn't be together why he was with Payton. She also said that she knew that he would never feel the same."

Hawkes and Flack looked at each other then back to Lindsey "When did she tell you this?" Hawkes asked

"A couple of hours before she flew…"

Flack's cell rang cutting Lindsey off.

"Flack…Yeah…Damn you sure…Okay…No I'll tell him…Thanks." Flack hung up "Damn" he said

"What?" Hawkes and Lindsey asked

"Mac's goanna be facing Stella a lot sooner then we thought"

"Why?" Lindsey asked

"She's now working for the LVPD crime lab and they just got a match to one of our cold cases. They're on they're way now…All of them including Stella"

"Damn. Who's going to tell Mac?" Hawkes asked

"Me" Flack replied. He walked into the lab and said "Sorry for interrupting but the Las Vegas crime lab just got a hit off one of our cold cases. They're one they're way over now. Oh and Mac Stella's working for them now so she's coming over too"

Mac was silent for a minute before saying "Thanks Flack. When they get here send them to my office. But I want to see Stella first okay"

"Sure Mac"


	5. Chapter 5

**Leaving**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

An hour later found the Vegas CSI's standing in the reception area of the New York crime lab. Flack was the first to see them and walked over to them noticing Stella was there. "Hey Stel" he said 

"Hey Flack you okay?"

"Yep" he replied giving her a hug, "Oh yeah nearly forgot Mac wants to see you in his office"

"Now?"

"Yeah now"

Stella sighed and told Grissom that she'd be right back. She walked up to Mac's office and knocked on the door. She opened it when she heard him say come in.

"Flack said you wanted to see me Mac"

"Yeah. Sit down."

He stood up and shut the door. Mac turned to Stella "So you're working for LVPD now then?"

"Yeah I am Mac"

"Stel…why did you leave?"

"Mac you know why… Mac?"

"Yeah"

"What did you mean when you said, _"I need you Stel" _over the phone?"

"It means what it means Stel, I do need you more than you'll ever know"

Stella sighed "Mac…we better get on with the case"

"Yeah okay"

Mac opened the door and walked out followed by Stella. After brief introductions the two teams got down to work.

After a long days work the Vegas team went to their hotel. Cath and Stella were sharing a room "So what did he say?" Cath asked as soon as they were in the room

Stella sighed "Nothing" she replied

"Stel I know when you're lying"

"Fine…when I asked him what he meant when he said I need you, he told me that it means what it means."

"Which means what exactly?"

"That he needs me more than I'll ever know"

Cath sighed "What you going to do?"

"I love him Cath but…. I can't face him"

"Stel does he know how you feel?"

"No and I don't want him to"

"Okay, Lets get some sleep"

* * *

**Three days later**

Stella walked into the lab to say goodbye. She walked up to Mac's office and knocked on the door. She walked in when she heard him say come in. "Mac we're going now"

Mac looked up "Stella what can I do to make you stay?"

"Nothing Mac"

"I love you Stel"

Stella sighed "Mac I love you too but I just can't face you anymore"

"Why?" Mac replied on the verge of tears

"I just can't" Stella walked up to him and kissed him gently on the lips. She turned around a walked out the door. She stopped in the door way "Mac just remember that I'll always love you"

Mac nodded in reply. Stella turned back round and continued to walk down the lab hallway. Watching her retreating back Mac let the tears fall.


	6. Chapter 6

**Leaving**

**Chapter 6**

Halfway down the corridor Stella realized that someone was watching her she knew who it was. Yeah she'd just broken his heart but hadn't he broken hers not that long ago? She sighed and continued down the hall to where her new colleagues and friends where waiting.

"You ready?" Catherine asked

"Yeah"

* * *

**3 Years Later**

Stella walked through the corridor of the New York crime lab searching for Mac. She'd come back to New York after recently divorcing husband Nick. When she'd left she had taken with her there one year old twins Luke and Samantha. Danny was the first to see them.

"Hey Stella" he said

"Hey Danny"

"And what are you're names" he said kneeling down to Luke's and Samantha's level.

"Danny there names are Luke and Samantha. There umm one"

Danny stood up "So who's the dad?"

"My ex-husband Danny"

"Which is?"

"Danny, I'm not telling you that"

Danny smirked "Fine, Fine. So you here for good then?"

"If Mac will allow me back yeah"

"I'm sure he will" Neither had noticed that Mac had come up behind Stella during the conversation

"How is he anyway?" Stella asked

It was then that Danny noticed. "Ask him yourself" he replied

Stella turned around to see Mac smirking. "I'm fine Stella you?" he asked

"I'm umm okay. Exactly how much did you hear?" she asked

"Enough" came the reply, "Why don't you leave Luke and Sam with Danny and we can talk in my office?"

Stella nodded. She told the kids to behave and followed Mac to his office.

* * *

**Mac's Office**

"You know I'd let you back Stel"

"I know Mac"

"So you got any where to stay?"

"Not yet"

"Why don't you and the kids stay with me?" he suggested

"Mac I don't know"

"Please Stel. It can be just as friends if you want but…"

"…You still love me. Yeah we'll move in. You know I love you too Mac"

"Yeah I know"

Stella stood up and walked in front of Mac. She lent down and kissed him gently "Now lets go home" She said when she'd pulled back.

Mac laughed and followed Stella out.


End file.
